Rectifier



IMarch 7, ,1944.

s. H. M. DoDlNGroN RECTIFIER Filed Aug. 26, 1942 N0 R. E ..0 M ,wm 5

Patented Mar.v 7, .1944

aacrmaa sven n. M. Donington, signor to Federal Tele ration,

Forest Hills, N. Y., asphone and Radio Corpo-v a corporation of Delaware Application August 26, 1942, Serial N0. 456,219

Claims. This invention relates torectiers and an object of this invention is to provide rectiiier means of, a known full wave rectifier circuit by which' I provide froman alternating current source direct current at a low or medium voltage, as

l may be desired. From either of the transformer secondary winding connections to the anodes of the full wave rectifier, I obtain an alternating voltage which is superimposed on the voltage from the direct current output and I apply the resultant voltage thereof to the anode ofva diode peak rectier tube. The latter tube operates so as to charge a condenser in its cathode output circuit to a voltage nearly equal to the positive peak voltage applied to its anode. In operation. the tube and the circuit associated therewith substantially maintain this high voltage as a constarrt direct current voltage which may be used, for example, in supplying the anodes of a cathode ray tube. L

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description to be read in connection with the accompanyingl drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram in ac cordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a graphic illustration showing the voltage output relations of the circuit.` Referring to Figui of the drawing, the diagram shows a transformer T supplied by an alternating current source. The secondary of the transformer comprises a main winding i0, grounded at its midpoint, and a lament winding i2, the two windings being connected respectively to the anodes I3 and l5 and the lament Il ot a full wave rectier tube VI. The output from the filament winding is connected to a filter circuit F comprising condensers -Il and I6 and 'an inductance i8, and then to an output terminal 2l to which a load RI may be connected.

'A peak rectiiler tube V2 has its anode 2| connected by a resistor R2 to the direct current output terminalv and also by a capacitance Cl to one end of the main secondary transformer winding Ill. The filament winding 22 of the tube V2 either may be supplied independently or from the source supplying the filament of the tube VI. 'I'he cathode otthe tube V2 is connected to a condenser C2 and a load resistance R3 which are arranged in parallel.

In operation, the secondary windings of the transformer T supplies a peak voltage, for example, of about 450 volts to the anodes i3 and I5, and a root mean square voltage of about 5 volts to the filament il of the full wave rectier tube Vi. The tube V! may comprises two single anode tubes or as indicated-a double anode tube, for example, that known as a 5Z3 rectifier. Pulsating direct current from the filament Il is passed through the lter F to smooth out the pulsations and then to the output terminal 20 for supplying direct current, for example, in the order of 300 volts. The resistance Rl which represents a load is shown connected to this output terminal. This load resistance for purposes of illustration may be of the order of 2000 ohms, and for example, may represent an amplifier load required to amplify deflection lvoltages in connection with a cathode ray tube.

Thepealr. rectier tube V2, which may be of the 6X5 type, has its anode connected to two sources. The anode is rst connected through the resistance R2 to the rectied direct current output 2B and second through the capacitance Cl to a high voltage point on the main secondary winding of the transformer T. Compared to Rl, the resistance of R2 is large and may be in the order of 250,000 ohms. CI may be small,A say, about 0.5 microfarads. The resistance R2 may be connected either ahead or beyond the filter F. If connected ahead of the lter F, a pulsating direct current is fed to the tube V2 and if connected beyond the filter as shown a substantially constant direct current is ied to the tube.

`The anode of tube V2 will have, neglecting voltage drops in the connecting means, a direct current value of about 300 volts on which will be superimposed an alternating current peak voltage of about 450 volts through the condenser CI. It will be readily appreciated that the resultant voltage above ground will then vary from a positive value of about 750 volts to a negative value of about volts. Characteristic of peak rectiiiers the tube V2 will only function during the positive portions of the cycle and will be iny operative during the negative portions of the cycle thereby producing a pulsating direct current output.

^In Fig. 2 the broken line 3l represents the constant voltage at the direct current output 2U and also the direct current voltage applied to anode z l; of tube V2.- The curve 32 represents the voltage y the anode 2l.

During the positive portion of any cycle the tube V2 will4 be conductive and the condenser C2, which is large compared to CI, will be charged by a voltage nearly equal to '150 vplts. During the negative part of the cycle, when the anode of tube V2 becomes negative, the tube V2 will be inoperative andthe condenser C2 will commence to discharge. It is thus readily apparent that the tube V2 has a pulsating direct current output representable by the shaded areas 34 (Fig. 2) The load resistance R3 which may represent the anodes of a cathode ray tube, however, is very large, for example, in the order of 5 megohms, so that the charge on the condenser C2 will leak oil.' very slowly as indicated by the slope 36 o! .the curve 38. Before the charge can leak o ii appreciably the positive peak of the next cyclel of the alternatingcurrent 32 will again restore the former voltage charge on the condenser C2. This results in a substantially constant` high direct current voltage at the output terminal 25 for the tube V2 as indicated by the curve 38. In practice, I have found that with the embodiment above described and using values as indicated, an average potential of--approximately 700 volts may be obtained from the cathode of the tube V2.

My invention is particularly advantageous, for example, where high voltage and low current are needed in addition to an existing medium voltage-high current supply as in a cathode ray oscilloscope. Deilectionvoltages for an oscilloscope vare amplified in circuits using high` current, say about' 100 milliamperes, at voltages of about 300 volts. According to my invention, such a voltage is available from the ltered output of thefull wave rectiiier. Cathode ray tube anode voltages are relatively high, for example, about 600 volts, the current being low, about,0.1 of amilliampere. According to my invention, such high voltage and low current are available at the output terminal of the peak rectiiier V2.

Although! have described my invention and cited particular values of elements in a'preferred circuit for a particular applicatiom'it is to be understood that many modiiications, additions and omissions may be made within its scope as deiined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. Rectier means comprising aiirst rectier connected to a source of alternating current to provide a nrst direct current output, and a second re'ctiiler including a diode peak rectiiler tube of the alternating current source as applied toA source and to'said rst direct current output to provide a second direct current output at a voltage higher than the voltage of said first direct current output. 1

2. Rectier means comprising a full wave rectiiierconnected to a source of alternating current to provide a iirstv direct current output, and a second rectifier including a diode peak rectiiier tube connected to one side of said alternating current source and to said first direct current output to provide a second direct current output at a voltage higher than the voltage of said rst direct current output.

3. Rectiiier means comprising a iirst rectier connected to a source of-i alternating current to provide a rst direct current output having a given voltage, a lter to smooth out pulsations in the voltage of-saiddirect current output,a

second rectiiier, a condenser, a resistance, means connecting the input of the second rectier through said condenser to said alternating current source and through said resistance to the output osaid lter, and said second rectifier having a direct current output at a voltage equal to approximately the sum of the voltages of said alternating current source and said rst direct current output.

l4. 'Rectiiier means comprising a rectifier con-- nected to a source of alternating current to provide a iirst direct current output, a diode peak rectifier tube, means connecting the anode ofsaid tube to said alternating current source and y to said lrst directI current output, a condenser, f a resistance, said condenser and said resistance being connected in circuit to the output of said v tube to smooth the direct current pulses passed by said tube thereby providing a substantially constant direct current output.

connected to one side oi said alternating current 5. Rectier means comprising a full wave rectier connected to a source of alternating current to provide a. first direct current output, a diode peak -rectier tube, a condenser, a resistance, the input of said tube being connected through said condenser to said alternating current source and through said resistance to said rst direct current output, said tube having an output of direct current pulsations having peak voltages equal to approximately the sum of the voltages of said alternating current source and y said rst ldirect current output, a second condenser, a second resistance, and said second condenser and said second resistance being connected to said second output to smooth the direct current pulses @passed by said tube.

SVEN H. M. DoDrNGToN. 

